March 2010 Notable Toys — Play Sets

This Thomas and Friends train playset has been designed so that it can be used with or without the normal Thomas Wooden Railway gauged track, but has oversized engines for little hands can easily grasp and manouvre. The set includes two destinations for Thomas to visit on Sodor Island: Maithwaite Station and Crossing Gate. Launch date: February 2010.

LEGO's construction play sets and figures feature classic and new characters from Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 3. In this play set, builders help Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear drive around the day care center in his toy dump truck.

LEGO's construction play sets and figures feature classic and new characters from Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 3. The Toy Story 3 Western Train serves up many adventures as builders help Woody, Buzz and Jessie fight their way into the train and get everyone off safely.

Kids and parents can toss the ball to have fun with their pets. Launch date: January 25, 2010.

When unzipped, it becomes an activity center perfect for buildings and fire fighters with LEGO Bricks. When play is done, four quick zips and all the bricks are captured inside. The LEGO® CITY FIRE ZipBin® Large Toy Box Playmat features cut handles and fabulous artwork. It is designed to be sturdy, strong, stackable and portable. LEGO blocks are not included. LEGO, The LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob configuration are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2009 LEGO Group. "It is a large playmat that zips up into a sturdy, portable, toy box that has amazing artwork," Robin Leighty, Marketing and Sales Specialist, Neat-Oh! International, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010.

Dress up these stylish young girls in a variety of outfits. Each tin consists of 2 characters printed on the tin, activity card to be used on the tin and 1 sheet of magnets.

Andy's friends are out of the toy box. Woody and Buzz are ready to round them up for another adventure! Each tin includes a colorful play scene printed on the inside of the tin, 1 additional colorful play scene (2 cards) and 3 sheets of magnets.

This ship hoists a yellow submachine attached by hook and rope for imaginative journeys through the depths of the ocean. The boat’s nine built-in layers of storage space contain 44 figures, including deep-sea divers, shipwrecked items and various forms of sea life. A bonus DVD is included with the story of Captain Nemo plus interactive sea games. Launch date: April 2010.
Awards: 2010 Dr. Toy Best Vacation Products

This stack-and-play dog house comes complete with fencing, dog cages, feeding dishes, a main dog house, a variety of pups, a cat, a bunny and a bird. There are 44 accessories in eight stackable layers of storage that create this imaginative play environment. A bonus DVD is included with the story of B-I-N-G-O and interactive games. Launch date: April 2010.

Kids can use the icing tube-shaped dry-erase markers to color four wooden cupcakes that come with a baking tray, cupcake sleeves and decorative wooden candles. The package measures 10.5" x 13.25" x 3.13".
— Play food sets and cutting food from Melissa & Doug were named as a best-selling wooden toy by seven of 38 retailers in February 2010. "The Melissa & Doug cupcake set did really well," Lesa Smith of Whiz Kid Toys in San Luis Obispo, Calif., told TDmonthly.
― Michael McCollum, owner of Learning Express in Hoover, Ala., told TDmonthly in spring 2010 that the Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set is his best-selling playset. “One of my employees absolutely loves it,” he said of what helps drive sales.
― “All year, [the best seller] is food sets from Melissa & Doug,” said Bill Rayment, owner of Toy Crossing in Harbor Beach, Mich., when asked about his top-selling playsets and activity kits during an April 2010 interview.
― Six of 43 retailers listed Melissa & Doug as their top supplier of playsets in April 2010.

This multi-paneled portable play space can be toted around as a book but opens up to reveal themed scenes that create a large, personal play area for children. Kids can fold out the panels all around them and play with toys and accessories inside the impromptu play area.The cardboard and paper is made from 100-percent recycled material, and the glossy, UV-cured outer layers are designed to prevent fading and offer a dry-erase surface. The Castle Edition has 15+ panels with a suggested retail price of $39.99 to $42.99. Launch date: May 2010.

Bowl at home with ten 9" pins and two 4" bowling balls.

10pc girl's wild west play set includes two 8" clicker guns, holsters, badge, and more. Comes in a 8"x13" blister card.

Encouraging kids to reuse, recycle and be creative, makedo kits include connectors that help fashion masterpieces out of cardboard and other objects. The Kit for One houses 69 pieces, including 30 pins, 30 clips, eight hinges, a construction tool and an inspiration poster. Watch makedo: Top-5 Video, Toy Fair 2010
— John MacDougall, owner of Golden Apple Learning Store in Pleasanton, Calif., thought the makedo line "clever" at Toy Fair 2010.
— Susan Stephenson, The Book Chook, called Makedo “beautifully thought out.” Although she found the cutting tool less effective than scissors, she loved the value and limitless possibilities of a set that uses what would otherwise be junk.
— Makedo was a Readers’ Choice Winner for TreeHugger’s Best of Green Awards.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your long hair! Holiday season 2010 will bring the animated debut of Disney’s latest princess, Rapunzel. MATTEL has a whole line tied to the lovely locked lass, and the crowning feature of the line is the Rapunzel Fairy-Tale Tower. The lilac tower features five rooms, magically painting color-change walls, secret compartments, and a 30-inch hair extension for Rapunzel. Launch date: Fall 2010.

Taken directly from summer 2010’s “Toy Story 3” is the Evil Dr. Porkchop Spaceship Playset. In his role as the Evil Dr. Porkchop, Andy’s piggy bank Hamm plots intergalactic mayhem—and he has the perfect spaceship for it. The spaceship has lights, sounds, an escape pod, and ziplines. The set is completed by a two-inch Evil Dr. Porkchop figure available nowhere else. Launch date: August 2010.

In 2010 HASBRO celebrates the 30th anniversary of “Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back” with toys recreating the vehicles, aliens, and action of the classic film. One of the most iconic vehicles from the movie is the elephantine All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT), the lumbering Imperial walker used in the battle on the ice planet of Hoth. Although HABSRO has produced the AT-AT before, this version is bigger and better than ever. At 28 inches long and nearly as tall, the AT-AT can hold the included AT-AT driver and speeder bike plus 19 more figures. LED lights, sounds, and other play features make this massive playset high-tech and high-fun. Launch date: August 1, 2010.

Join Captain Owen on the open seas! Our rugged boat playset is great for the bathtub, beach, and pool. A complete playset. It includes an 2 boats - Explorer Boat and Rescue Boat, a Life Preserver, two Dolphins - Mother and Baby, an Adventure Guide - Captain Owen, an Adventure Hat (interchangeable with other characters), and a Backpack Accessory. 2010 TOTY Award Winner.

HASBRO’s Littlest Pet Shop triples the fun with Petriplets, special sets of triplet pets. Although they are triplets, each pet is unique. Available in bear, bunny, and six other varieties, Petriplets include distinctive environments and accessories. Launch date: Spring 2010.

Kids can release their inner Robinson Crusoe with this building set. The natural wood pieces can fit together in a number of ways to build the perfect island getaway.

The denim tool belt holds a saw, hammer, screwdriver and pliers. The box also includes four illustrated board books that describe how each tool works. The box is 8.5" x 6.5" x 6.5".

This easily transportable product is two playmats in one, with differently designed spaces on each side. It comes with toys, features a wipe-clean surface, and is available in various themes: DinoLand, Roadville, Farm and Work Zone. Measurements are 28.5" x 22.5". Launch date: January 2010.

Measuring 17" x 12.5", these portable playmats come with toys and are available in five themes: Dino Land, Fly Zone, Sea Life, Space Explorer and Wild Animal Park. They feature wipe-clean surfaces and are about the size of a standard placemat. Launch date: January 2010.

Complete with two bunny rabbits and a fold-up house, this portable play mat with carrying handle features a bright palette and various textures throughout its meadow theme. Launch date: 2010.